Aloyuise
by CrystalXHeartlace
Summary: Inspired by the movie Changeling with Angelina Jolie. Containing historical facts, romance, and horror. Los Angeles, 1928, a time of corruption in the LAPD, and a dark age for the city. A time where society had to be perfect, and anyone who wasn't was weeded out as a lunatic or a criminal. Peeta, a nurse at the Aloyuise Institute, meets a curious criminal Cato, changing his world.
1. Patients and Potlucks

Aloyuise: Patients and Potlucks

In a manner of speaking, nothing was supposed to happen. Nothing in my life is ever supposed to happen. I can't really help the fact my life is full of tragedy and a twisted form of comedy. Like some sort of sick higher power is making my life into a Shakespeare. Yet all in the same, things happen and I trudge through them in search for a moment of happiness. As they say when life hands you lemons you make lemonade, but what about all the other things you can use lemons for? I keep thinking there are other options, but I don't want to take the risk and try out a different possibility. I always play it safe, until now.

The irony in my life amuses me sometimes. You would think someone who is this messed up in the head would stay far, far away from a psych ward. Yet I find myself as a nurse, in the Aloyuise Institution, Los Angeles Division. The year was 1928 when being crazy was feared, and you would be admitted on just your neighbor's word. My employer, Marcus Aloyuise was the richest man in the state of California, and he owns a country wide chain of mental hospitals. The story was that his wife, rests her soul, was driven insane by three consecutive miscarriages. She went a little crazier each time, but the third was a breaking point for her. She went insane, throwing tantrums, and giving up on life completely. One day Mr. Aloyuise made the mistake of leaving her alone, and she swallowed a bottle of opium.

Since then he has been dedicated to the mentally insane, and in a way he has a major soft spot for them. I do too, of course, but it's more out of pity than anything else. I feel it is my duty to help those who cannot help themselves.

The building looked beautiful on the outside, with its marble walls, and grandeur pillars on the entrance. The build was huge, the size of an ordinary hospital, but the building before me was just for mental health. Like all things beautiful the horror lies within.

I glanced at the clock and the clock glanced at me with the time. I went to the front desk where Madge Cairo, the secretary waited. I clocked into work with the usual protocol.

"Good Morning Mr. Mellark!" She said in her usual bright and cheery voice.

"Morning Madge," I said automatically. There is something about her that unsettles me, like her excess happiness could harm me somehow. Who knows what people who are too happy can do?

"You have a fresh shipment coming in today!" She said.

Ah! I remember now why I don't like her. She thinks that just because they do not have the same capacity levels as us, which it makes them inferior to us. She is an ignorant woman, but she has to be tolerated because she is the Head Psychiatrist, Marvel Cairo's wife. Tolerating her offers job security, and I like to be safe in all measures.

"Well I guess that's great for us." I called back to her as I walked away to the nurse's station. I walked into a small white room with a coffee pot onto of a countertop that lined the left wall. A refrigerator stood across from me, and tables and chairs filled the rest of the room in an all over the place kind of fashion but all of the tables and chairs matched so it was obviously planned.

A lot of the nurses were female; in fact I was the only male who worked the day shift. The nurses here did their jobs quite efficiently, which was a horrible thing in my eyes. The acts that are committed by the staff here are unspeakable, but there are a few of the good ones left. We do our jobs like we are supposed to, but we try to prevent the bad things from happening on our watch.

"You look like the right side of Queen Mary's arse." Katniss said as I pulled out my usual chair, coffee in hand. She was a jokester, but in a place like this, jokes are hardly acceptable.

"You've looked worse." I retorted.

To the left of me sat Delly Cartwright, a blonde beauty whom I had grown up with. To my right sat a fox faced ginger name Julian, a newbie who had the courage slap the charge nurse for slapping a patient. Katniss sat across from me.

Together we make up the decent nurses, while the rest of them eyed us suspiciously.

I sipped my coffee. "We're getting more patients today."

"Really, we already have a lot on our plates as it is." Julian pouted.

"Give it a few more months and you will be able to handle anything this place throws at you." Delly said with a pat on Julian's back.

"Yeah, Monster Madge practically jumped out of her seat just to tell me." I said. "I can't stand her."

"Sssssshhhh. The walls have ears dummy!" Katniss said with a slap to the back of the head.

I glanced over my shoulder in reflex. The room was almost empty with the exception of the few night nurses waiting out the final minutes of their shift.

"What's for lunch? I brought the cookies" Katniss asked in an attempt to change the subject. You see we always eat together, and we always eat each other's cooking, because we get bored of our own. So one day Delly came up with a bright idea for a potluck every day. We all agreed to it of course, and when Julian came around we were eager to let her join in.

"I brought my meatloaf and mashed potatoes." Delly answered.

"I have the deviled eggs and salad." Julian said.

"Delicious I can't wait to bite." I said. Just then shift bell ring, yay the start of work.

"Oh! And I brought the biscuits and my stomach." I said.

"You're such a man." Katniss said with a click of her tongue and a shake of her head.

"Maybe so, but we can discuss my gender later. Let's go meet the new patients!" I said.

One by one we left the nurse's station, chit chatting away on useless information from new ways to cook eggs and such. All the nurses and doctors congregated at the Emergency Admission entrance. There were whispers that it was rumored that the police were escorting the new patients, and I would believe it. Half the patients here were 'escorted' by the police here.

You see the LAPD has been gaining a reputation for being useless and corrupt since the new Chief of Police was inducted. James E. Davis had hired a gun squad to insure the safety of the Los Angeles people. Rumor has it this gun squad came from the Los Angeles crime family, and that the police had made a deal with the crooks. But they're 'just rumors' people protested but even they cannot turn blind eyes to missing people and gun shots throughout the night.

The police showed up with three new people, two women and a man. They were brought to Marvel Cairo who then appointed the nurses who was in charge of these new patients. One of the women, the shorter of the two and the one who looked most childlike with brown hair, made a feisty last chance struggle to be free. She was almost successful, with her skill tactics of biting and evading but she was grabbed by the cuffs and brought down, hard.

The other woman looked sedate already, with a dazed look on her face and a soft smile. She had envious blonde hair, and to be honest she was more threatening to me than the impish short one. She had a Glamazon body and face, and she made any old, tatter, orange jumpsuit look runway worthy.

The boy could have been the Glamazon's twin. Envious blonde hair with a perfect body. Perfect, Perfect, Perfect, except those eyes. Those steel grey eyes that mirrored mine held horrors beyond my imagination.

Cairo escorted him over to me, and the horrors in his eyes brought horror to my face for reality had finally sunk in.

"Mellark meet Cato Monroe, your new patient." Cairo announced.

Shit.


	2. Standard Procedures

Aloyuise: Standard Procedure

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**Aaaaannndd it's the next chapter!**

**Special Shout Out:**

**pumkinking5: Thanks for the review. To clarify the Glamazon was Glimmer, and her 'twin' is Cato. I was playing on their similar looks. They aren't actually related in this story either. **

**mattiboi: I'm taking a leaf out of your book (teehee get it _your_ book, _fanfiction_) Anyways I'm glad you're intrigued, and yes it's not a well known movie, but I cry everytime I watch it because the story is soooo good.**

**FangirlismForeve: Your wait is finally over! Yay!**

**Conspiration-ult: If you like this story, you should watch the movie. It's AMAZEBALLS! **

Standard Procedures for New Patients should have been prohibited. Nevermore have I ever wished it was, than I do now. I don't know why, but it was extremely awkward for Cato to be in my care. His size and stature were extremely intimidating, and all the while we roamed the white, glassy halls, I was thinking about personal safety measures and procedures I could perform to save myself.

Now don't get me wrong, I am far from being small, it just so happens that he is a little bit bigger than me. Where I have a build, he has an even bigger one. Where I stand tall he stands taller. If it came down to it, I was more than capable to taking care of myself, but I don't have the will power to fight back because confrontation is a thing I fear.

We rounded the corner and entered the hall of sanitation. The first part of the procedure.

"You are going to need to be hosed down, a scrubbing and washing, a physical examination, and lastly oral hygiene." I said, protocol says that insane people need to be told what is going to happen before it does, surprises and unstable minds do not mix.

He merely grunted at my expense, which personally I was thankful for, I didn't want a conversation. At the end of the hall is a large room divided into two parts. The main part was nothing grated flooring and walls. The second part is the bathing part.

I led Cato into the bathing room, and the awkward level sky rocketed.

"I need you to strip down… completely." I said.

He didn't move, so I repeated what I had said. Still he did move, so I went over to him myself. I took his orange jumpsuit off first, revealing a white tank top and a pair of skivvies. He just stood their like a rock, like he was used to all of this. I was bracing myself the entire time I was near him. I picked up the vibe that his abusive and controlling. Nothing happened, thank god, but that didn't make anything less awkward.

I pulled off his tank top, revealing a smooth and muscular torso, with three jagged scars on his left rib cage that ended near his abdomen. The last and definitely the weirdest part was departing is underwear from his body. Lord I turned away, but we all know I would have to face sooner or later with the upcoming events.

I led him into the grated room, and turned on the hose.

"This is going to hurt but it is necessary, I will try to dull the pressure in the hose for you so it's not as bad."

"Whatever."

What do you know; he does know how to talk. I opened the valve halfway and the near boiling water spilled out in a fireman's torrent. It hit him with a force that made him lurch forward, and the scream wasn't as intense as the other patients I have had.

I sprayed him down as quickly as I could, and I tried to ignore the gasps of pain. I didn't have the heart for torture, I am an empathetic person, and that is something I was I wasn't. I wish I could just shut them out and do my job, but I cannot, so I have to deal with what I feel in the best way possible. This is selfish motive for a righteous justification that parade around, pretending to help them, I am only helping myself.

I closed the valve, ceasing the water flow and dropped the hose. I led him to the bathing room and sat him in a tub. I ran the hot water, and while I waited I grabbed his new clothes and sat them on the tub beside his.

"I'm going to wash you now."

"Go ahead, I've got all day." He said. Ah, he knows sassy.

"That's nice." I snapped, getting tired of his attitude.

"Yeah, I suppose it is."

Grumbling to myself, I grabbed the loofa and lathered it up. I started from the neck down, worked my way down his arms and torso. I could tell he was enjoying all of this. He wasn't incapable of taking care of himself. He wasn't that kind of insane, he was criminally insane.

I hated myself. Worse yet society would hate me if the knew my secret. I couldn't help but admire his physique. I was an expert at hiding, after all, so nobody would guess. But that boy was fine. Once or twice he caught me looking, but I acted as if it was part of my duty. It would have worked if not for the blush in my checks. I was betrayed by my own body.

He stood up so I could do the rest of his body, and so I did. Oh god. It was there, close to my face, and I tried my very best to ignore it, but it is very hard to ignore big things. I literally felt myself blush hotter. Then everything went wrong.

I suspected it was on purpose, in fact I knew it was on purpose. He pushed his hips out, and he brushed it up against my check. I could feel the wet and soapy heat that was there; in fact it rivaled the heat of my cheeks. I immediately stood up and smacked him across the face.

He moved so fast, I couldn't react. He tackled me to the ground, my head slamming into the concrete floor and straddled me, effectively pinning me there. There was a deranged smile on his face as he put his hand to my mouth and said,

"Remember this, and remember it well. I have the control between us, so you better double check your actions before pissing me off. Do you understand?" He whispered into my ear.

I was too dazed to even put two words together, so nodded my head. I was on the verge of tears, but I forced myself not to show any kind of fear, that would only give him more satisfaction. He got up and sat pack in the tub.

"Continue." He spoke casually.

I heaved myself off the ground, and continued my work. It wasn't awkward between us anymore, and I don't know why not, but I felt the tension disappear. There was still the fear for my life, in the back of my head I was told to run. But there was no tension whatsoever.

"Get out of the tub and dry yourself off." I commanded, attempting to regain control. He just gave me a look like, _seriously?, _but he did get out.

He stood there, wet. I didn't even bother hesitating, I have a feeling I should just do everything. I grabbed the towel and dried him off. He made and attempt to get dressed, something I would have like for him to do, but standard procedure wasn't over yet.

~xXx~

The latex snapped onto my wrist. He stood there naked, and waited for my next move. There was something going on inside his head, I could tell by the look on his face.

"Time for you physical exam," I said with a small smile.

"Whatever."

I leaned down and grabbed his testicles. "Turn your head and cough." He did. Check.

"Turn around and lean over the tub." He did, but not before his eyes narrowed.

I pried into his orifice, and found the prostate. It was there, with no abnormalities. Check. I pulled out and he let go of a little jiggle, a jiggle I am familiar with.

Then I saw _it, _there in his face. It was the face of… oh god no, who the hell am I dealing with? It was the face of, the face of, satisfaction. The look of, finally getting the itch you've had for a while scratched. This time his body betrayed him. I saw the blush, and the unmistakable erection. I saw everything, and he tried tackling me again, but this time I was ready for it.

I sidestepped and tripped him. I straddled him, and pinned his hand above his head. This time I had him trapped. He struggled, but I was strong enough to handle him, especially when my safety was in danger. I felt him go limp, as he came to the same conclusion.

"It's time for to listen, I've dealt with worse people than you in here," This was a down right lie, "I'm still in charge, and I say we follow procedure."

I leaned down and whispered in his ear. "I know your secret."

He returned the favor. "You're not so different from me."

I got up off the floor and helped him back to his feet.

"Get dressed." I spat.

For once, he actually did what he was told. He put on the tight white t-shirt and scrub bottoms.

"Now what, _sir_?" he said sarcastically.

"I have to brush your teeth." I shot right back. I said it in a manner of disgust, just to spite him.

So I grabbed the crook of his elbow and guided him to the sink where a toothbrush and a minimal amount of toothpaste. I turned on the faucet and wet the toothbrush, and roughly put it into his mouth. He pinched me, but I shrugged it off. His teeth were already a brilliant white, but as always standard procedure prevails.

"Spit."

He spat.

"Rinse." I said offering a glass of water.

He swished it around and spat. I guided him back out into the hall and exited the sanitation hallway.

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**Hey guys thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed! Please, please, please review.**

**Love Always,**

**Crystal Heartlace**


	3. I Knew You Were Trouble

Aloyuise: I Knew You Were Trouble

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**I realized while writing this that Marvel's last name is also the Capitol of Egypt lol**

**Special Shout Out:**

**mattiboi: Thanks for the words of encouragement boo, hope this chapter entices you just as much as the last one :)**

**pumpkinking5: Thanxxx for being a loyal reviewer.**

**Conspiration-ult: I find it intriguing that you find it sexy ;) lol let me know when you finally watch the movie, I'm anxious to find out what you think!**

**CupcakeSprinkles14: The wait is over, and thanks again for the banner.**

**jessie000: thanks for reviewing my story for the first time. I'm happy you love it. P.s. Please don't die, I wouldn't want to be the cause of your death.**

I escorted Cato roughly into the doctor's room for psychological examination. Dr. Cairo gives all of the new patients evaluations. He then gives the nurses, us, instructions on care and daily procedures along with any medications he prescribes. Outside of work he is a great guy but at work he's the orchestrator of the evil doing here, because we cannot perform anything with the doctor's permission.

"Get in there!" I said, furious from the spat in sanitation.

I slammed the door behind him and slumped against the wall beside it. Normally I wouldn't throw my patients to the dogs, but that man gets under my skin.

"Do you know what you've done wrong," Cairo said.

My head snapped up.

"Nothing," Cato retorted. There was an unmistakable sound of flesh on flesh.

"You are in here because you publically humiliated the LAPD with you little _stunt._" Cairo said in a violent whisper.

"So?" Cato said sarcastically.

"Mr. Malone I don't know about you but breaking the law is wrong in my book," Cairo said.

"The real reason I'm in here has nothing to do breaking the law." Cato countered.

I shouldn't be listening in on this. Oh my gosh, this isn't any of my business, and knowing the truth is just going to make me even more scared of him than I already am, I know it. I started to placate myself while I ran to the nurse's station for lunch.

~xXx~

I threw myself onto the chair beside Katniss and put my head on the table, resting on my arms.

"Rough morning, eh?" Julian said.

"The worst," I replied.

"Want some grub while you explain?" Katniss said, clearly giving me the spill the beans tone.

"No I'm not hungry." I said to the table.

"So what happened after the introduction?" Delly whispered.

I lifted my head to look the women in the eyes. "Cato Malone is… how do I put this lightly… insane." I dropped my head back into my arms.

The girls waited for my elaboration, but really I didn't want to talk about it. I'd rather forget he existed and go one ensure my life stays as safe as possible. The sad part is, is that this job is the only way to do just that.

_Peeta Mellark to the Doctor's office_

I'd never think Madge would be my hero, but her voice on the PA saved me from all the expectant looks my friends were giving me.

"Sorry ladies got to go." I said over my shoulder on my way out the door.

Only when I closed the nurses' station door, did I realize what Madge's words really mean. I had to go back for Cato.

~xXx~

I opened the door to find Cato sitting in the chair, his face red, and Dr. Cairo sitting behind his desk chair, his face also red. If I had to guess it looked like the polite yet abusive conversation they were having earlier exploded. Great, an angry Cato.

"You called sir?" directing my attention to the doctor. I felt Cato's eyes bore into the back of my head.

"Yes, Mellark, please escort Mr. Malone to his room and see to it he stays in there for the rest of the day." Cairo said, straightening his tie. He stood up and handed me his evaluation notes.

"Yes sir." I said with a tiny bow.

"Oh and Mellark, be careful with this one he is a lively one." Dr. Cairo said.

"Yes sir." I said with another bow.

I grabbed Cato's arm and helped him stand up. Tucking the clipboard under my arm I lead Cato out of the room.

"You okay?" I asked.

"Why do you care," he said with venom.

"Listen, you need to know that there is no royal treatment so get off your high horse!" I whispered loudly. "You will be treated like vermin if you don't comply. Bad things happen to innocent people here!"

"What makes you think I'm innocent?" He said with a crocked smile.

I shriveled back, that smile made me even more uncomfortable with being in his presence. I must have let my weaknesses show because he let go of a laugh of the same magnitude as the smile. This man emanated evil.

"Are you innocent?" I asked in a small voice.

"Wouldn't you like to know." He said.

We rounded the corner of the residence hall. Being in the residence hall reminded me of my position and the power I had over Cato. I adjusted my demeanor, and repositioned my grip on his arm. I took a look at his chart; Room 13, Floor 2.

"Follow me," I said with reserved bravado.

"If you say so." He said cockily.

I was tempted to smack him, but that would just counteract my ideals of saving the abused people of Aloyuise. So instead I jerked him to the stairwell. Cato hummed as we ascended the steps up to flights of stairs, further annoying me. He knows he scares me now, and now he thinks he can do whatever he pleases. At this thought tightened up my bravado, and gave him another jerk just to prove it to myself.

As we reached the floor he stopped humming. When I saw what he saw, I stopped in my tracks halting him as well. One of the charge nurses had one of the old lady patients by the neck, jerking her around and slamming her into the walls.

I let go of Cato and ran to the charge nurse, pushing her into the wall. The charge nurse hit her head on the fire extinguish, effectively knocking her out.

"Are you all right, ma'am?" I asked the lady.

"My wrist, it hurts." She croaked.

I tenderly lifted her wrist for an examination. There was inflammation of the skin and slight swelling.

"Could you move your wrist for me, please?" I asked.

She gently bent her wrist up and down. "I see, you have a contusion, nothing too serious to worry about, you just need rest and keep that hand elevated."

"Thank you."

She left to go into her room and I turned my attention to the nurse, she was still out cold. I went across the hall to the medication supply and grabbed a syringe of Nesiac.

"What are you doing," Cato said behind me.

"This is Nesiac, with the right dosage she will forget the last few hours. Too much and she can be demented for life." I explained, as I injected her with the clear liquid. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a flicker of something cross his eyes. I brushed it aside, trying to pay attention to, I grabbed her nametag… Anita.

I slumped her up into the sitting position, to make it look like she was sleeping on the job. I stepped back to examine my work, yeah it's passible.

"Okay, now to get you to your room." I turn around to find him nowhere in sight.

I let out a sigh, I should have expected this. I run over to the intercom and press the button.

"Code Yellow, Cato Malone is missing. Repeat Code Yellow, Cato Malone is missing."

I could hear the scrambling outside the hall, the effect was instantaneous. Nurses abandoning their duty to find a patient, well everyone except Anita. God Dammit, this is not the time to be joking.

I went down the stairs, and ran to the sanitation hall. If he was to hide anywhere it would be the dark grated room. As I ran I saw the nurse locking and guarding the doors. I searched every nook and cranny of the sanitation hall, and audibly exhaled in frustration. I ran out and headed cafeteria, which I highly doubted he knew where it was, but who knows.

Yet, there was no such luck. He wasn't anywhere in the cafeteria, or the bathrooms on any of the three floors, girls or boys. I ran past Katniss who stopped to talk, but I didn't, I was rushing toward the doctor's office for help. Besides me Marvel was the only man here, and the only one capable of handling Cato.

I threw open the door and screamed. I saw Cato strangling Dr. Cairo from behind. I charged at Cato and kicked him into the desk. I picked up Cairo and dragged him to the door, by then Cato had recovered himself. He pushed me into the wall, and dragged me by the ankles.

Something fell out of my pocket, and I quickly grabbed it, hoping I could use it as a weapon. I opened my grasp and saw the syringe I used on Anita, and instantly knew what to do. I curled my body up into the sitting position while Cato dragged me, and jabbed the remaining Nesiac into his thigh.

He ripped it out of his leg, but he was too late, I struck the main artery and the effects were starting to take its toll. He let go of my ankle, and fell to his knees.

"Wha... wha…" and then he fell forward onto the floor, out cold.

I crawled over to Cairo, and smacked him across the face. He stirred.

"Sir, sir can you hear me?" I asked.

"I'm alright just a little dizzy, I'll be fine." Was his reply.

"Sir, he is out, I jabbed him with Nesiac, about 2 milliliters worth." I said.

"Good. What happened exactly, how did you lose him?" he questioned.

"I was helping one of Anita's patients to her room; Anita is sleeping on the job, so the lady was just wondering around the resident hall." I lied smoothly. "I know it's against the rules to abandon a patient, but the lady was causing such a ruckus, I was afraid she would disturb the other patients."

"Very well, next time just don't abandon a high profile patient, you're on probation." He said.

Cato stirred in his sleep.

"Help me take him to treatment room… seven." Cairo said.

I gasped. "O-okay."

Together me and the Doctor picked Cato off the floor and lead him down the hall and to the stairwell. We went down a flight of stairs to the basement where treatment is practiced. We entered room seven, and strapped Cato by the wrists, ankles, torso, thighs and neck. Three nurses, who were ordered to come down to treatment via the intercom, entered the room. One of them stuffs the rubber mouthpiece in his mouth, while the other two gathered the machine.

They sat it down and the one, who put the mouth piece in, attached the headpiece to his temples. I saw Cato's eyes flicker open, and that is when I left the room. As I left, the unmistakable screams of being electrocute echoed throughout the floors.

I fought back tears, because this is the exact abuse I defending against only an hour ago. I fought them back not only because my boss who definitely notice, but deep down I sadistically wanted him to feel the volts pulsing through his head as his body convulsed and writhed.

And that scared me.

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**Hey guys thanks for reading, I hoped you enjoyed! Please, please, please review.**

**Love Always,**

**Crystal Heartlace**


	4. Hollywood Horror

Aloyuise: Hollywood Horror

**Sorry about the long wait you guys, I hate to disappoint my readers. I was sick with mono, and sadly I didn't get it by kissing anyone :(**

** But on a happier note, I'm feeling better so let's celebrate with a brand new chapter!**

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**Special Shout Out:**

**To Miss Hollywood Horror Herself, My Idol, and Freakshow, Miss Sharon Needles. Her music and character inspires me, and she is the inspiration for all of the horror I write. Love you!**

**Mattiboi: Ask your questions, I encourage you to come to me for answers about my story. Sorry no spoilers! XD**

**Pumpkinking5: Cato received the electro-shock therapy because of his attempt to kill Dr. Cairo. I'm sorry that I confused you, but I always love the reviews you give me. They're so official, I love it!**

**Conspiration- ultd: I feel your Teen Wolf feels and raise you double! As for you thinking it's sexy, well from one wierdo to another, I'm with you! It's totally sexy and it's supposed to be sexy, in a twisted S&M kind of way. **

**CupcakeSprinkles14: The wait is over girl! Thank Gawd.**

I walked out of the white parlors of Aloyuise, shoving my work clothes into my duffle bag, mumbling to myself how much I hated being me. Because of the Cato incident I had to pull a double shift to get out of probation, for free, thankfully Cato was incapacitated so I could tend to my regular patients. Needless to say I was exhausted, and surprise, I was scared… again.

Walking in the middle of the night, in downtown L.A. was probably the worst thing a guy like me could do. I mean, I'm not completely defenseless, I do have a switchblade strapped to my wrist, but I'd rather not use it. With all the hoodlums and gangbangers roaming the street with predator ambitions, it's pretty easy to not show up for work the next day, or the rest of your life. But those miscreants aren't the worst things on the prowl.

What with the police patrolling the streets or the Captain's gunman on the lookout, who's to say which is worse, regardless the streets are never safe especially at night. Captain James E. Davis, well he's the worst thing that happened to Los Angeles since the last quake. But don't you dare say that out loud, your tongue will be cut off for mutiny, and that's if you're lucky.

James E. Davis began his reign of terror in 1926, in a promise to lower the crime rate. Of course in all elections the lies are endless, but someone has to fill the shoes. What actually happened was he employed fifty plus 'police officers' into a gun squad that patrol the streets for crime. What he fails to mention is that this gun squad is made of mostly mafia members. The whole gun squad was a compromise and peace offering to the L.A. mafia to keep them at bay. During his public announcement, showcasing the supposed glories of the gun squad, he made it plain as day that all criminal were to shot for the kill on the spot. This is heavily abused and just an excuse to keep us scared, and them on top. He is virtually untouchable, and has corrupted this city dearly.

Those who were most imposed to the gunmen were homeless people, homosexuals, strippers (hypocrites), those who threatened the power of the police such as politicians, social reformers, and the protestors. All those who were scene as imperfect or insignificant weren't spared either.

So you can see now why I always have a blade and a constant fear, although that stems much deeper.

I only live a few blocks from the Institute so I just walk to and fro work and home. I've only worked til nighttime a couple of times, and that was when Delly and I decided to pull doubles together. Delly understands me better than anyone else, she has seen me at my most vulnerable and my most weakest. Seeing as how we've known each other since birth, due our parent's companionship, it's befitting. Though she doesn't know my deepest and darkest secret.

The gates to a two way Victorian home are the entrance to my home. Black metal spirals, and a rusty creak are the signifiers that I am home, safe and sound. I live above a quiet old couple, who simply adore me. Seeing as how I never cause trouble and have no problems that they know about it, I guess they would.

I unlock the door and throw my bag onto the sofa. I put the kettle on and used the latrine while the tea boiled. I sat at the table, sipping my tea and re living the horrors of the day. Cato this and Cato that. The day seemed centered around him, and I hope this isn't going to be a daily occurrence.

Dumping the rest of my tea out into the sink, I made my way for my bed. I threw myself onto the duvet I love so much and swathed myself in their warmth, comfort, and safety. Drenched in wholesome goodness, I drifted off to sleep. Into a familiar nightmare.

_The family was an innocent, middle class one. The father was a banker, and the mother was a simple housewife. The three sons were budding in handsomeness, prominent in their youth. They had something valuable and coveted by all those who knew them. A happy home, and a happy life. Most of L.A. at the time were living in poverty, while the Mellark family survived comfortably._

_They came in the night, the ones out to steal the happiness. They creaked into the house through the back door, neglecting to take care of the door. That was their downfall, the backdoor swings violently in the backlash creating a loud bang. The mother woke with a start and struggled to wake the father, but he paid heed to her suspicions and gathered his night cap and candle to investigate._

_The father crept down the stairs and saw the thieves, and emitted a gasp. The thieves spotted him instantly with the flame, and followed suit as the father rushed back up stairs. _

"_Sue, call the police!" the father shout as one of the thieves tackled him to the ground. He put up a struggle but the other thief assisted the first, ending all scuffle. They rudely escorted him into the guestroom, and threw him onto the bed, knocking him upside the head with the blunt end of an object. The one thief pulled the phone wires out of the wall, while the other gathered the children and wife into the guestroom._

"_Were the police called?" the pair of thieve questioned the wife._

_The poor woman just whimpered in fear. She looked at her kids, and summoned what little courage she had, for her kids._

"_I'll ask one more time, were the police called?" he asked her grabbing her hair and yanking her off her feet._

"_Sue?" came a groggy husband slowly back into consciousness. _

"_The cops were called, and they will arrive sooner than you think." The mother answered defiantly._

"_Wrong answer lady." He shoved her to the ground and the father went in and tackled the thief. The other thief yanked him off and threw the father across the room. The other thief, gather himself quickly and advanced on the father with a sickening 'thwack'. _

_The thief slowly turned around with the head of the father in one hand and an axe in the other. The boys, who had remained silent for so long, let out terrible screams of terror. The mother attempted to go to her sons but was stopped by the thieves._

"_I love you guys so-" the words were silence with a sharp axe, and replaced by even louder screams as the mothers head rolled closer to the boys. Blood spatter everywhere, and the boys were grabbed by the two thieves, as sirens wailed in the distance._

"_Marv, I don't think we will be able to keep them this time." One thief said. _

_The thief with the axe turned to face his partner in crime. "Then what do you suppose we do with them, idiot, you already told them our names, we can't just leave them here."_

_There was an answer with a quick flick of his partner's eyes._

_The two oldest boys were sat back down on their knees. The boys, crying, made the mistake of looking into the eyes of their killer; as he viciously brought the axe down, cutting them off from life one by one. _

_The sirens rounded the corner, and the thieves took notice as the rounded on the last boy, huddled under the window crying._

"_Let's scram Marv," the one thief said. _

"_We can't leave him either." Marv said._

"_Listen, it's him or us, if he lives, we can escape, he we kill him, the cops will catch us." The other one said._

"_Let's go then, but let's leave him with reminder to stay silent." Marv agreed._

_They threw the heads of his family into the young boy's lap, and dwelled no longer in the Mellark residence, though the screams and tears of the youngest could be heard throughout the neighborhood._

_The boy sat there in the puddles of his family's blood, too terrified to move. Drench from head to toe in the remnants of his dead relatives, the boy was retrieved moments later by the police._

_The police officer carried the small boy out of the house, his badge gleamed and his name plate caught the street lamplight. _

_This caught the boy's eye, and it would be a name he would remember forever. The boy never made it to the car though; he collapsed from the trauma in the officer's arms._

He woke up in the middle of the night, screaming and sweating blood. Screaming even more when the heads of his deceased family laid on his bed with the same expressions of horror they had before they were murdered.

I awoke from the dream drenched in sweat and my pillows all over the bed. I scrambled out of bed and into my bathroom. I turned on the faucet and splashed my face with cold water and filled my cup. I dished out my pills from the medicine cabinet, and swallowed.

"Just a dream, just a dream…" I muttered to myself, but it wasn't. This is the most of the nightmare I have ever seen, and the most vivid at that.

Only two things are definite as of right now. I realized this as I stared into the mirror, shaking in fear.

It's getting worse, which means the medication is losing its grip on me. That is as equally frightening as the nightmare.

The other?

Well, James E. Davis isn't the same man who rescued me.

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**I really hope this story is living up to your expectation of my as an author. Please, please, please review!**

**XOxXx,**

**Crystal Heartlace**


	5. A Haunting

Aloyuise: A Haunting

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**Aaaaaaannnnnnndddd next chapter!**

**Special Shout Out:**

**mattiboi: It's another chapter about Peeta's life outside of work. Happy Days to you boo!**

**CupcakeSprinkles: Your wait is over and the chapter is longer, enjoy!**

**NYC92: I'm glad you like my story and I'm happy that you watched the movie. I cried every time I watch it, so I know how you feel. Also I've never read that book before I will have to check it out.**

**PumpkinKing5: James E. Davis is the guy who rescued Peeta from the story, I was referencing a change in character when I wrote that. I was dabbling in my horror writing. Personally I think all my horror is cheesy, but I like it so I decided to share it with the world. Thanxxx!**

**Conspiration-ultd: So many questions, and I have so many answers but you will have to wait until the story unfolds! And yes, it does mean that James E. Davis is the guy who saved Peeta, and the reason why the city is corrupt. Ciao!**

I couldn't go into work the next day. I had a much needed doctor's appointment, and a much needed reason to escape work. I had it worked out with Katniss; she would be taking my patients this shift as well. As for her safety with Cato I wouldn't pay too much of a mind, because she is one tough cookie and she can handle her own.

As I walked down the busy streets of Los Angeles to my doctor, I enjoy a chocolate cone and the warm breeze of the perfect weather. It's not often I have free time, I purposely make myself busy to keep me safe, but when I do I love to enjoy it. Living in the city, people tend to lose interest in the sheer beauty of it all. A Costal Paradise is the best way to describe LA. Palm trees around every corner, wonderful weather most of the time, clean streets with lots and lots of attractions and things to do.

Yet you live here for so long and don't take much interest in it as would a tourist. That's something we shouldn't do, but alas, you get tired of looking at the same thing.

On a street full of personal mom and pop shops lies a doctor's office that I have been going to since I was a child. Dr. Hoffman is psychiatrist who specializes in trauma patients; I've been seeing him since I was six because of what had happen to my family.

It took me a whole year to open up to him and work with him and talk to him about what had happened. The sheer brutality of the situation combined with my young and innocent age seriously deranged me, and it still haunts me til this day. Over the years I've come to get to know Dr. Hoffman, grew close to him like a father. I've been fishing with him, invited to all of his parties, and I still to this day have Sunday tea with Marsha, his wife.

After the incident Delly's family adopted me. I was already part of the family there, but after the murders I resented everyone, and lashed out and had breakdowns. I became so out of control that they had no other choice but to leave me to the state to take care of. For a very long time there was nothing but darkness in me. Later on in my life I reconciled with them, but it would never be the same.

I walked into his office, greeted by the family executive home style. Nice potted ferns sat in the corners while black leather seats fill the walls between them. A smooth glass coffee table sat in the middle for the room cluttered with magazines waiting for patients to read them. I go up to the secretary and signed in on a clipboard on the desk. After that I follow the narrow hallway beside the secretary to Dr. Hoffman's office.

Opening the door I greet him with, "Hello sir."

"Peeta, my dear boy, look at you! You're getting older and you need to shave. So good to see you son." Dr. Hoffman said.

"It's always a pleasure, sir." I reply.

"So what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" Dr. Hoffman asked.

"I wanted to talk to you about my medication, the effects seem to be wearing off easier and I'm having the nightmares again." I explained.

"Hmmm, well Peeta the medication you have now is the only one for this kind for this kind of problem, and you already have the highest dosage amount." He said.

"So why isn't it working?" I asked.

In a professional opinion, this medication shouldn't be acting this way, at least not for a long time. Your body seems to take medication real easy, and is able to adapt quickly, so your body is growing immune to the medication." He observed.

"Can't you give me more, I really need this, I cannot face those monstrosities again, they're horrible." I started to sob at the lost hope.

"My hands are tied; I cannot authorize this because it is illegal." Dr. Hoffman said.

"Isn't there any other way? I need this." I said shakily. I depend on this medication more than he realizes. It keeps the darkness away from me. It keeps me happy and blissfully mute to my past. I hate my past, I fear it. The medication blurs out the memories, fading them almost, suppressing them in the least so I don't have to deal with them.

"I suggest taking natural preventative as well as keeping up on your medication. Go get a dream catcher, or drink a warm glass of milk at night. Psychologically prepare yourself, think about only happy things before you go to sleep. Or write down what you want to dream about before bed and only think about that thing." Dr. Hoffman said.

"How is any of that going to help me?" I asked, frustrated that he results to superstitions for help.

"Distractions, thinking about happy things or what you want to dream, distracts your subconscious, the ruler of your dreams, and molds the subconscious into what you want." He explained.

"Well you're the doctor, so you must know more about than me." I conclude.

"Professionally speaking, I do know what I'm talking about, I take heed to my advice, I wish I could help you more medically but I can't." Dr. Hoffman said in departure.

I walked out of the office forcing myself to face the truth. The medication I so desperately cling to is fading in its effects, and there isn't much I can do about it. I will have to face it and deal with it basically on my own with a warm glass of milk.

~xXx~

I slip into the nightclub after flashing to the bouncer that I was twenty one. I don't usually come here; in fact this is probably the third time I've been here. I come here when I need to get away from my life, and just have fun. This club was deep underground and very few people knew about it, so it was a great place to keep safe as well. Somewhere off the beaten path of pavement, through many alleyways, and three flights of stairs underground, I sat at the bar swigging Raspberry Di Amore by the bottle.

I stared at the men on the dance floor bumping and grinding on one another, and the queens shaking their flapper dresses. They were all having a good time while I was drinking my sorrows. I saw the end of the bottle and snapped my fingers at the bartender for another bottle. I slapped down my money as he sat the bottle on the bar before me and patted my hand.

I gave a hiccup and shanking me a bit. A self-analysis stated that my thoughts were blurry and my movements were slowed. I was drunk non the less, and the familiar numbing sensation finally awakened. Unexpectedly belching and excusing myself, I wondered over to the dance floor and grabbed the hottest guy there.

He shone with a blonde beauty, and a chiseled body. He looked vaguely familiar but the brown bottle fever lessened my attention span. I danced provocatively close to him, not paying attention to the pair of jealous eyes staring at me for stealing his man. His man didn't seem to mind, so it didn't bother to me.

The man I was dancing with pressed harder against me, and I pressed back, rocking my hips to the beat of the Hart Sisters. I lead him over to my Di Amore where we trade swigs until the bottle is empty. We go into the bathroom and lock the door. I push him into the stall wall, and force my drunken lips upon his. He spins me around and slams me into the bathroom stall wall, our lips never parting. I jump up and wrap my legs around his waist while he sits me on the sink.

"Let's get out of here." I whisper in his ear, and take ahold of his hand.

I walk with him down the streets in the dead of the night, and for once I don't really care. I find myself, in one of those rare almost- sober moments where everything is put into perspective. We are winding our way through LA to my house, we rounded the corner, and I saw the familiar black rough iron gate that leads to my home.

"Welcome to castle De Nova Peeta." I say. All I get from him is a slur of words.

Marching up the stairs (falling a few times), I hop onto his back and whisper instructions in his ear to my bedroom. After we open the double doors, he slung me down from his shoulders and onto the bed. I was instantly swathed in the familiar warmth and comfort of my duvet. He flopped down beside me on his back, basking in the same feeling I was having, or at least I think he was. I lift my head to kiss him softly, then let my head fall back, where I passed out.

~xXx~

I woke up with daylight peaking from the cracks of my drapes. I lift myself onto my elbows, my head spinning. My body was hurting and my head was pound, and remember why I've only been there a few times. Getting smashed is awesome, but you always regret it with a hangover. I'm naked. I just realized that I was naked. I don't remember getting out of my clothes either. I look to my left to see an equally naked man with a perfect body and beautiful blonde… Cato?

I screamed, and threw my bedside paper back at him. It hit him in the shoulder, but he didn't respond. I walked to the other side of my bed and with great effort, roll him onto his back. Although he is handsome, and resembles Cato a lot, he wasn't him. Where Cato was dark and mysterious, this guy was devil may care. I was impressed with what I could catch when I'm drunk, but I also feel invaded.

I shake him awake "Huh- Wuh…" he woke murmuring.

"Wake up mister, I'm late for work, and you have to go." I said, gathering my scrubs and hastily putting them on.

"My name is Gloss, thanks for asking," he said grumpily.

"Hi Gloss, Bye Gloss, come one and get your perfect ass out of bed." I said.

"Hehe, I would love to get you dinner sometime." He said rolling out of bed, sitting on the edge.

"On any other day, I would have said yes, but I was drunk when I met you, and it was stupid of me to get that crazy, but I don't do this kind of thing. I like to play it safe, and it isn't safe for people like us." I said, stopping to look into his face, which fell at my words.

"Should have known something so beautiful came at a price I could never afford." He mumbled under his breath.

"Not to be insensitive, but did we, um, you know…?"

"No, we didn't. I don't make a habit of sleeping with drunk, passed out guys, though I'm regretting this one time."

"Look if agree to this date, will you please stop moping and get up and get dressed so I can leave?" I ask.

"I will for three date." He barters.

"One date mister." I said, handing him his clothes.

"Two, or I stay here in this bed forever." He finalized.

"Fine two, now let's got." I said shoving his shirt onto his body.

"Yesss!" he whooped, quickly getting dress.

We walk out the door together, I locked the door in case he got any ideas, and we parted ways at the gate. I look over my shoulder to see him down my street staring at me. I wave at him and waves back. I turn and start to run to work.

~xXx~

Never run with a hangover, you get tired faster and you're ten times more likely to upchuck. I threw up two times by the time I got to the doors of the Aloyuise institute. I rush over to Madge, huffing and puffing, who for once, wasn't smiling at me.

"You're late." She said while filing her nails.

"I know, I know." I said gritting my teeth.

"Go see Marvel, he will want a word with you before you get started working again, and take a mint your breath smells like alcohol." She said bitterly. God she's irritating.

I enter his office moments later, to see him shuffling through paper of no interest to me. He looked up peering at me with superiority.

"You're late."

"So I've heard…" I said under my breath.

"You were already on probation for patient misconduct, what on Earth possessed you to be late today?"

"Well you see sir, I went out last night and had a little too much to drink last night."

"I know." He said. I immediately covered my mouth wishing I would have taken another mint.

"Sorry sir, I didn't get to wash my mouth out because-"

"Because you were preoccupied with someone while rushing around trying to get to work." He finished.

"How- how do you know that sir?" I asked.

"Because I saw you last night at the Cat's Meow." He answered.

"Sir?" I said truly confused.

"I go to the nightclub as well, you see have a secret just like you."

"Oh." Was all I could say, with my mind trying to process it all through the haze of a hangover.

"You were going to be fired for this, but I had a better idea, that could get you into the all clear." He said, getting up and walking around.

"Si-si- sir?" I asked nervously.

He locked the door, and grabbed my shoulders leaning down to whisper into my ear. "I think you know what I want."

"Sir, that's a bit sleazy don't you think, it's like sleeping for the job." I said.

"Well the way I see it, is that it could happen and it stays a secret so no one will ever know, or you can walk out of here and get yourself a newspaper and look down the help wanted ads." He said with an evil grin.

"Sir I –" I was interrupted with a kiss from older man. Thinking about his age I realized that he is at least twice my age, doubling the amount of scandal. Ashamed, I kissed him back pressing my hand to his face.

I got up out my chair and sat on his desk, shoving things off the desk out of my way. I think under any circumstances I would have walked out of there without a job, but with my dignity at least. But the hangover clouded my decisions, or I was hoping I could make that pass to ease my guilt. I began to unbutton his shirt and shed it from his body. I pull him closer to me by his tie, deepening the kiss, where I untuck his undershirt and lift it over his head. All the while he is taking of my pants leaving me in my skivvies. I tug at his belt and pull it out of the loops and dropped it on the floor along with his pants. I broke apart the kiss, take of my top and began to kiss him again, this time more frantic with passion.

We broke apart to inspect our bare bodies, his was in great shape for an older man, I didn't have to worry about mine. He seemed to hunger for my body, and in this moment, I truthfully wanted him. I opened my legs for him get in between them where he pushed on my chest to lay me down. He grabs the hem on my briefs and pulls them down, lifting my legs with them. I let my legs drop back to his sides, and he dropped his briefs as well.

He was hung under the belt. At least eight inches and thick. he picked me up and put me on my knees in front of him, the gesture was obvious. I put his flaccid cock in my mouth and began to work it. Getting him hard wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, it seems that he hasn't been touched in a while, which could explain Madge's bitterness, unless she found out about the club.

Once he was hard and lubed up from my saliva, he put me back onto the desk on my back. I noted that there was a salty taste in my mouth from his precum, he was really enjoying himself. I look into his eyes, which were filled with pure lust, and nodded. He began to prod and work his way around my hole with his stick. He would go in an inch, and then pull out, and then go deeper and pull out, repeating the process until he was shaft deep in my anus.

He stretched me in a way that I haven't been stretched in a very long time, my eyes watering, but I toughed it out for the sake of my job. He began to rock his hips back n forth, slowly humping me and easing me open until there was smooth friction. His pace quickened to a steady back n forth, he threw his head back with his eyes close savoring this. I closed my eyes as he grew more eager and quickened to a sensual pace.

He pulled on my shaft and worked me up a stiffy. My sphincter tighten sending him to his limits, quickening his paced into a full on jack rabbit humping. I was close to cumming, and before I could register what was happening I was spewing all over his and my stomach. He went through with his last moments, powerfully thrusting into me, making me whimper and biting on my hand to keep me from screaming.

"That's... huh… the…phew… ticket." He said slumping over me.

"Any- anything for the… whew… the job sir." I said.

"You were great by the way, that guy was a lucky guy." He said, grabbing his clothes off the floor.

"Oh we didn't do anything sir, he said he wasn't going to take advantage while I was drunk." I said.

"Well I got the prime meat then, and no scrumptious seconds." He laughed at his own joke. "You should fuck up on the job more often." I forced myself to chuckle; I was feeling really crummy and guilty.

"I will try not to sir." I said.

"I wouldn't mind if you did, as long as you make up for it." He said seductively.

I was fully dress, and helping him fix his tie and hair when I said. "I have to get to work now."

"Take the rest of the day off, just report for duty tomorrow." He said giving me a quick kiss.

"Sure thing." I say.

"Bye Peeta." He said as I close the door.

Walking back through I force myself not to look at Madge, the guilt was clear etched into my face. I walked home, not paying attention to what a beautiful day it was, but instead kept my eyes on the ground walking at a break neck pace.

When I got home I showered and scrubbed my body extra hard. I feel like I was trying to wipe the shame away, but not matter how hard I wash it, it wouldn't go away. Frustrated I get out of the shower, and dry off crying.

I clean the mirror off with my towel and stare at my reflection. I saw myself, a mixture of emotion and booze for an expression. I open the mirror cabinet for my comb, and when I closed it shut I screamed.

I saw the six year old version of myself covered in blood with Dr. Cairo in the background laughing at me, also covered in blood. I threw my towel and comb at the mirror and ran to my bed, where I didn't resurface til the next morning.

* * *

**The end of the chapter so tell me what you think! please, please, please review**

**XOxXx,**

**Crystal Heartlace**


	6. Complications

Aloyuise: Complications

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**Oh my goodness it has been a long time. Finally I have updated, with goodies for all the children who have been waiting for a return.**

**Special Shout Out:**

**Pumpkinking5: You're reviews are absolutely amazing. Cheer up though, the ending of the story is very far away.**

**mattiboi: I live for the scandal, and I love your enthusiasm. Lol I love keeping you on your toes as well. XOX Boo.**

**CupcakeSprinkles14: You never disappoint me ever, once again your "Author's eye" shall we say, allowed you to perceive things that others don't. I praise you.**

**Conspiration-ultd: The questions in your head are my secret weapon to keep you hooked on Aloyuise. However I will let you in on a secret; Peeta didn't change James E. Davis, When James rescued Peeta from his house he was currently on the good side; although he wasn't in a position of power then.**

**NYC92: I don't know if nightmares is a good thing or not. One side says if my horror is good enough to cause nightmares then that's great for me, but bad for you. **

The mirror never lies. I looked snazzy in my dinner casual wear, but I also looked as though I gained ten pounds. A black pinstriped suit with a fedora covering my slicked back blonde hair. A brief case waited for me in an armchair by the door. It was a soul reminder of my date.

It was under my own stipulations that I had scheduled a date with Gloss. We would be businessmen having a business meeting in a back alley Italian restaurant. The location was secluded for a reason; to keep us away from suspicious eyes. He would call at least twice a day, reminding me that we had two dates to plan, when all I would love to do is forget about it all. This is one of the most dangerous things that I could do, so naturally I would find a way of doing. I just want to stay in the safety zone of my house, and continue on with my life.

Instead I was heading out the door of my duplex and walking down the street during twilight. The street lamps were being lit, and the city is showing no signs of dying down on this Friday night. Further down the street I could gentleman in their dancing shoes, and the girls in their flappers clinging to their men. I picked up my pace, winding through the streets, keeping my head bowed.

I ducked into the threshold of Bartoloni's Italiano. It was a guilty pleasure of mine, a very expensive guilty pleasure that I indulge in when I need to get away. Not unlike the Cat's Meow, really. The place was lit by candles only, giving the red walls and floors a rosy glow. There was only a few people here, regulars, I presume because I remember seeing them here before. I walked up to the host and asked for my reservation.

"Table for Mellark," I said.

"Ah Peeta, such a delight to see you, your guest has already arrived. Right this way sir." Antonio, the host, said.

He led me to the back of the restaurant where a table for two was set, and a familiar blonde sat with his back to me. I rounded the table and Antonio pulled the chair out for me to be seated. Gloss' face lit up when he saw me, but quickly lowered his face. The waiting greeted us with menus and scurried of to get our drinks. Gloss and I had this unspoken contest of who can look at who and not get caught by the other. The waiter returned with our chardonnay, and whipped out his pad and pen.

"What will you be having today my good sirs?" the waiter asked.

"Um, I will have the Mostaccioli Mosta, light on the olives, with a side of Ciabatta." I said.

"I'll try the lasagna and bread sticks." Gloss said folding up his menu.

The waiter collected the menu and informed us that our dishes will be coming right up.

"You don't eat Italian often, do you?" I asked.

"I must confess, my family hails from Britain." Gloss said.

"Fish and Chips?" I said with a laugh.

"Fish and Chips." He reiterated.

"So what kind of name is Gloss anyways," I asked to avoid the awkward silences.

"Well is a nickname really, my real name is Glossenger, kind of embarrassing really." He said.

"Who calls you Gloss, your friends? To it seems a bit effeminate for a boy." I noted.

"My fans."

"So are you someone famous that I don't know about, or are you infamous and I'm supposed to not know about you?" I asked.

"Kind of both," he said.

"Meaning?" I pressed further. Just then our waiter appeared with our order, sitting the dishes neatly in front of us. I thanked him, and he disappeared into the back room.

" Promise you won't laugh or overreact, or leave?" he asked.

"Fine, I promise you to do none of the above." I stated. I picked up my fork and stabbed the pasta.

"I'm a drag queen, my stage name is Gloss." He said.

I dropped the fork. I dropped my jaw. My eyes widened. Him as a drag queen? That's a bit absurd don't you think, seeing as how he has a massive build, none like that of a woman's. He must be joking.

"Are- Are you serious." I asked.

"As serious as serious can get." He answered. "I work at the Cat's Meow at night, and work as a blacksmith during the day."

"How come I've never seen one of your shows before?" I asked. Taking a bite.

"Didn't you say you've only been there a handful of times? Chances are you missed my shows, I don't do it often, because most of the time I am exhausted from my first job." He said. Digging in himself.

"Wow, you as a drag queen, no offense I don't think you would fool anyone, you're just too manly." I said.

At this he started to crack up, really loud. I'm sure if anyone would have actually been in the restaurant they stop and stare. His cackle died, and he wiped a tear away.

"You. Haha. You should have seen… whew, you're face." He said.

"Why what's wrong with it" I asked, getting up to go to the bathroom.

"No wait. You'll have to forgive, you are just so serious all the time, I figured we could use a laugh. I'm not actually a drag queen; I was pulling your leg."

My head reeled. "So… You're not a drag queen?"

"No."

It was my turn to laugh; laughing with relief. "I can't believe I feel for it." I pouted.

"It was all for fun, I've been told I'm pretty convincing." He said.

"You do have to admit you as a drag queen is a bit of a stretched." I said. Taking another bite

"Hehehe, I'm sure I would have made a lovely lady."

"Yes absolutely gorgeous." I said. We both laughed at that.

"So what do you really do?" I asked, having another bite.

"I'm a blacksmith."

"So you were serious about that." I said, point my fork at him.

"That was the only thing I was serious about." He confessed.

"How old are you?" I asked with another bite.

"22, you?" he asked.

"He is 21."

I turned around in my chair to see the unexpected. Marvel and Madge Cairo. Marvel. A flash of the bloody scene that I saw in the mirror crossed my vision. Of course, out of all the people that could possibly show up, it had to be the one who knew my secret best.

"Peeta honey, I didn't know you came to Bartoloni's." Madge said.

"I've been coming here since, since…" I began

"Since the incident." Marvel declared. I saw a flash in Glossenger's eye.

"Yeah, Dr. Hoffman used to take me here all the time growing up." I said.

"Peeta would you mind accompanying me outside for a little co-worker chat?" Marvel asked. I glared at him, clearly he wasn't getting the message that I didn't want to be disturbed. "I'm busy at the moment."

"Oh I don't mind." Gloss said. I shot him a look of annoyance.

"Then it's settled, Madge dear, will you please be seated at our table, we are just going to be a few." Cairo said. "Peeta if you please."

"But I don't…" I said under my breath. I stood up and gave Glossenger a nod and followed the doctor outside through the back door. All the while the images that I saw in my own mirror played over and over in my head.

Once we we're outside he rounded on me. "What do you think you are doing with _him_?"

"I'm on a business meeting with him." I said.

"Don't bullshit me Peeta I know the truth about you." He said, nostrils flaring.

"And I know about you." I said.

"You can't see him anymore."

"Who I date is none of your business, and for your information you are a _happily_ married man." I shot back.

"You are my business." He said, getting up in my face.

"You have nothing to do with me, you sick perverted old man. You are twenty some years older than I am, and may I reiterate you are married, and the only reason I slept with you was because my judgment was impaired at the time. I wouldn't think twice about sleeping with you." I all but yelled.

He lunged at me knocking me down, punching me in the face. I rolled over and pinned him to the ground and held my dinner knife, which I hid in my sleeve, against his throat.

"What are you going to do, kill me?" Cairo asked.

"God Dammit no Marv-"A flash of him there covered in blood with the same smirk he has on now. " Marv… Marv…" I said slowly as the truth came out. Suddenly the mirror made sense to me, it's all coming back to me now.

"Marv… _Marvel_." I spat.

"Finally figured it out have you?" Marv said. I rolled off of him shocked at the new revelation.

"You, you killed my family." I stuttered, starting to weep. "I slept with the man the ruined my life."

"I had to keep you in line didn't I?" he said. "When you came to me looking for a job, I instantly recognized you. You still have the boyish charm you had when you were younger. It was the perfect opportunity for me."

"You sick son of a bitch! How could you do this to me!" I lunged at him knife at the throat.

"I have a sick desire for blood. It must be satiated or I fear I would be driven insane. I need to kill, or the hunger will consume me. It's like kill or be killed by yourself. I feel the desire like a flame consuming my insides. Killing is the water of life, so to speak, which dampens the all-consuming fire of desire." He explained. At this point the blade was shoved against his throat so tight he started to bleed.

I laughed mirthlessly. "Some kind of irony, don't you think?" rhetorically asked.

"So you going to kill me, or not I do have dinner reservations."

"I can't… become like you, you bastard."

"That's what I thought." He got up and walked away.

I hated him so much, how could I let him walk away and get away with everything? Oh no, this won't do. I'll turn him into the police. OH, but what good will that do when they commemorate murder?

I saw red and lunged for the last time, sinking my knife deep in his throat. The blood poured from the wound, cascaded down the contours of his throat. The horror of my life laid there in a puddle of his own blood. For the first time, I felt happy.

It felt good, in a sick way. Like I was getting all the satisfaction the world had to offer. Like revenge, but it was more than that. I cherished the way the knife felt in my hand, and the way it felt when the knife ripped open the skin. I found bliss in the way he writhed around in his final moments, until the blood trickled down the corner of his mouth, and his sudden stillness told me he was gone. I love it. Now that he's dead, I could finally understand what he meant. It felt amazing to take a life, and the fire within me has been awakened and quenched by this one act of crime.

It was then at that moment that Madge had to come looking for her husband. It was that moment that she saw me, with blood on my hands, literally. It was then that she screamed in horror only to be silenced in that exact moment by my knife.

She fell to her death by her husband. She made the fatal mistake of being there at the wrong place at the wrong time. It wasn't because she saw what I had done, that I had made the quick decision to kill her. It was because she happened to be there when I needed her most. When I looked into the mirror and saw Marv covered in blood there was no Madge. However, that doesn't mean the… love couldn't be shared. I loved murder and murder loved me.

I disposed of the bodies in the dumpster at the end of the alley way. Chances are they won't be found until it was too late. Then again why should it matter? Let the world know about me, and the wonders of murder.

I gathered myself and went back into the restaurant into the bathroom. I scrubbed off the blood and washed underneath my nails. With one sweeping last look at my overall self, I returned to my date.

~xXx~

Walking home holding hands with Gloss was the second dangerous thing I could have done that night, the first being caught murdering my boss and secretary. The most dangerous thing Gloss did that night was kiss me on my doorstep, before leaving to go home. At the end of the night I was the happiest I could ever be. I went to bed, satisfied.

Waking up the next morning was a different story, the reality of the situation blind siding me. What would work be like without them? No, I waved those thoughts out of my head; after all I knew nothing about their whereabouts.

I walked to work enjoying the beauty of the day, and the beauty of life. A sadistic thought when just eight hours ago, I took away the very thing I was… Marveling at.

I entered Cato's room unannounced and woke up him up with a shake.

"Time for breakfast." I said before running off to drop off my things in the nurse's station. When I came back he was doing pushups.

"Okay champ let's get the show on the road." I said.

"You seem happy today, chipper actually." He said. "You seem different."

"For your information I enjoyed my walk to work this morning, not that it's any of your business." I said.

"Ooo the bitch is back and sassier than ever, you know I was starting to enjoy the other nurse's company, at least she was funny." He bit back.

"I think we all know you enjoy my company best." I said without pay mind to what I had said.

He got really close to me. "And what makes you think that? Who's to say you don't reciprocate."

"I don't know what you're talking about." I said turning away, blushing.

"Ha, there it is, the blush that tells the truth to everyone." He mused.

"whatever let's go to breakfast Casanova." I said annoyed

"Ah, ah, ah. Not so fast."

"What now?" I complained.

"I said there was something different about you, and I finally know what it is. It's all to familiar." He said.

"Please tell me, Confucius, what it is so I can fix it."

"Oh you can't fix it."

"Just tell me."

His eyes rolled around, as though he was searching for something in the room. "Murder."

I was so surprised that I froze for a second, exposing my guard. "Hahaha, very funny, I finally figured it out. You are insane."

"Oh Peeta, we both know who's the real psycho in the room." He said.

"So tell me, hypothetically speaking I am the insane one, and I committed murder, how could you tell?" I asked.

"There are certain signs that one gives off when you murder someone. You're extremely happy, as though you received the ultimate pleasure, better than sex really. Secondly, you are extremely clean, and you are more careful about your words, actions and social behaviors. As though you fear someone is watching you all the time, and if you slip up you will be exposed completely." He said.

"How do you know all of this?" I asked.

"How do you think I got in here?" he asked.

"You're insane." I said even though I know it isn't true.

"No, no, no. I murdered people for fun. I enjoy it, take pleasure in it. I need to murder." He admitted.

"You just admitted to me a crime." I said.

"I'm insane remember." He shot back. I see he's playing the ultimate game of life, life and death..

"So how did you really know I murdered someone?" I asked.

"Because you just admitted to it." He said.

I gasped covering my mouth. "It was all hypothetical."

"No it wasn't."

"So what are going to do about then." I asked.

"Nothing."

"Nothing?" I asked.

"Well maybe this." And then he was kissing me, fiercely, as though he was angry. So much was built up in this kiss. The stress of it on my lips. I could have him, and he could help me. Help me with this desire for murder, after all he knows about it more than I do. I need his help.

"So come with me. We can escape together, and go off."

"and do what? Murder the whole city?" he asked sarcastically.

"Well no, and yes." I admitted. "I don't want to murder people, but I also need someone who can help and control me when I lose control. I'm going to kick my meds to the corner, because they aren't working anymore, and I am going to accept my past. Maybe then I can fully recover."

"I'm in." Cato said.

"Okay, wait here and I will go scope out the situation; I'll be back in five minutes." I said. I closed the door behind me and made my way to the doctor's office. I rounded the corner to fast and slammed into our new psychiatrist.

"Sorry." I mumbled.

"No bother, it's Peeta, right?" he asked.

"And you are?" I asked, looking into a handsome face full of charisma that I was completely immune to.

"Dr. Finnick Odair, I will be covering Dr. Cairo's shift until he comes back." Finnick said.

"Oh, when will he get back?" I asked innocently.

"No one even knows where he is, so there is no guarantee he will ever comeback. Not to get my hopes up, but I hope he stays gone." Finnick confided.

"Well you seem nice, and a whole hell of a lot better than him, so I'm in line with you."

"Thanks."

"Well back to the old saw mill."

"See you around."

I walked away and circled back to Cato's room. He was doing his sit ups this time.

"Well we're going to have to play the whole nurse directing the patient charade all the way to the door." I said.

"As long as I get out of here I don't really care." Cato said.

"Well lets hop to." Doing the usual routine of grabbing him by the nook of his arm, I led him out the room and down the hall.

"We have to get you to the changing room, so you can get out of those clothes and into normal ones."

"Do you know where they keep my clothes."

"We get rid of the one's whose cases are permanent, and you were marked for a permanent residence. So you're going to have to squeeze into mine."

"My last pair of pants…" he mumbled.

I shoved him into the men's locker room, occupied by only me this morning. He grabbed my clothes out of my locker and changed quickly. After that we left, burning his hospital outfit in the trash can as we left.

Once we reached the door I let him go first, explaining to him that to keep my job they would have to know I was still here when he escaped. I would find Dr. Odair and make small talk while Cato followed my instructions to my house, picking up the spare key in the eaves of my house. Once this plan was put into motion I immediately went on a full scale hunt for the doctor. Who I found eating his lunch in the nurse's station.

"Well doctor, I am off just thought I would swing by and wish you the best luck before I gathered my spaghetti and skedaddled."

"Well it was a pleasure to make and acquaintance of you, and I appreciate the company you have kept me."

"The pleasure was all mine." I said turning for the door. "Bye." I waved over my shoulder, leaving the nurse's station.

I rushed through the hospital and out the door and practically ran to my house. In a record time of seven minutes I made it with lights on in my house. Good he made it. I pushed past the iron gates and hopped up the stair and burst into my home. I locked the doors immediately and closed all the drapes. I found him sitting at my kitchen table enjoying a bowl of day old stew that Delly had made.

"Whew what a day." I exhaled, hanging my coat on the rack.

"Well tell me all about it." He said turning around to face me.

.

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Only it wasn't the face I was expecting. It was Gloss.

* * *

**Isn't Gloss just the perfect boy next door? Personally If you'd meet me, you would agree I am not the boy next door.**

**I write this with love to my readers.**

**XOxXx,**

**Crystal Heartlace**


	7. Amnesia?

Aloyuise: Amnesia?

"What are _you _doing here?" I said confused and exasperated. "How did you get in here?"

"I am here because we have another date, as to how I got in you told me your spare key is in the eaves of your house." Glossenger explained, as if I was supposed to know all this.

"Well you can't just barge in here demanding a date; we have to make plans for such things." I said my mind frantic as to where Cato could be. Gloss stood up and came extremely close to me. So close I could feel his breath upon my face, and the heat that his body put off.

He grabbed my face and ducked down to eye level. "We did, don't you remember?"

"No I don't, I must have forgot or… Listen why don't I just meet you outside, I will go get ready then we can go where ever it is we're going." I said still distracted.

"Fine, five minutes, and leave the business suit in the closet, you aren't going to need it where we are going." He said as I guided him out the door.

Closing the door, I turn around to see Cato standing directly behind me.

I let out a loud gasp and clutch my chest. "Holy shit, Cato you scared the living daylights out of me."

"I was supposed to be here, unlike him." His eyes glowering over my shoulder to the door.

"Well apparently I told him where to find my spare key, and I only give that to people that I don't mind dropping in whenever." I said in his defense, though I had no recollection.

"Well I'm off," He said, brushing past me to the door. I wheel around and grab him by the shoulder, turning him to face me.

"No you are not!" I said, "You are an escapee, and that means you shouldn't be out wondering the streets. Not to mention if they see you around my house they are going to suspect I had something to do with your escape."

"You need to chill out," he said, shrugging my hand off his shoulder. "I only get caught, when I want to get caught."

"Yeah, right, and you just wanted to take a trip to the wack-house?" I said in disbelief.

"Yes, I allowed myself to be caught; I did it for my family, the girls I came with to the hospital. I had to make sure that they would be okay, make sure that they would be safe in there. In order for me to protect them from harm, I had to go with them." He said.

"I knew it! I knew you two were related." I half shouted.

"First off, need I remind you, there were two girls that came with me. Secondly we're not that kind of family. Bonded not by blood, but by oath." He said mysteriously. With that being said he slipped outside.

"Don't let Gloss see you!" I called after. His devilish grin appeared in the window, letting me know he heard me.

I rushed to my bedroom and grabbed a casual look from my wardrobe. Black Pants, Red Button, Black Suspenders, and a Black Bow Tie with a matching Flat Cap. Throw on some black oxford's and I was out the door, down the steps and walking down my pathway to my gate. I found Gloss leaning against an automobile. He wore gray pants with a black button up underneath a gray vest and bowtie. Atop his head was a black fedora and upon his feet were black oxford's similar to mine.

"You look good." Gloss said with a tip of his hat.

"Thanks," I said with a dip. He opened the door the door for me, and ducked in quickly. I watched him jog around the hood to the driver's side of the car, damn he's attractive. He caught me by surprise with a quick peck on the lips as he got in. I looked out the window, blushing. He took off, and I rolled down the window for air.

"It's a nice 'mobile you have here," I said, patting the seat, trying to make conversation.

"Thank you. Cost me a pretty penny and it's ridiculous to drive so I don't drive it often. However you are an exception, and I wanted to take you out of the city for a while." He said.

"Why, may I ask, did you want to do it 17 hours after our first date?"

"Because I spent those exact seventeen hours thinking only of you." He admitted. "And I couldn't wait a single more without seeing you again."

At this I gave him a peck myself. "Now you're just being full of it, it was only one date."

"You're still amazing, and the single most interesting person I've ever had the pleasure to meet." Gloss said, again with the romantics.

"Aw thanks," I said complete twitter pated at this point.

"So tell me why you are so defensive and unwilling to show who you really are?" He asked.

"To be honest the only reason I'm so defensive is because I'm scared and constantly on the alarm. Living the life I live is scary business. Being homosexual isn't exactly socially acceptable, so I hide. The only place I feel safe is in my own home, in my own bed. When I am there, nothing can harm me, no one can come inside," I nudged him at this, "and see the real me, and the life I really live. People die because of this, and I am not so keen to die at such a young age." I said.

"Oh." He said, soaking the truth in.

"What about you, how do you cope with it?" I asked. We pasted the city limits and made a right onto a dirt road.

"I don't have to cope with it. I could say that my masculinity is all the cover up that I need, but that wouldn't be the truth. The truth being is that, anyone who has ever asked me about it I told the truth. The thing is, is not many people ask because of my demeanor. Those closest to me know though, because they know me inside and out they guessed correctly. So far every is okay with it, or at least love me enough not to say anything." He said, his eyes extremely focused on the road. "However my father didn't, except he didn't get a chance to… to do anything because he died, right there when I told him. He had a heart attack, or at least that's what the paramedics said. I know the truth though; really he died of heart break because his only son is a disappointment."

There was a tear in the corner of his eye that rolled down his check. I wiped it away for him and rest my hand on his. He took my hand and held it in between the two of us, taking it from the steering wheel. I didn't say anything, we just drove slowly up a huge hill, or small mountain in silence. I put all my comfort into our hand holding, giving him a tiny squeeze, while his hand enclosed my own.

He parked the car in a designated parking space and got out of the car. He walked around and opened the door for me, such a gentleman I thought to myself, as he reached for my hand once more. Together we walked up a trail to the peak of the hill, where a surprise awaited me. The first thing that I saw was the view. I could see the entire city of Los Angeles lit up in the night, and the Hollywood sign further down the mountain. We were on Mount Lee. The second thing I saw was a candlelit picnic with a panoramic view of the city.

"Oh Glossenger, it's beautiful." I said in awe.

I saw him smirk out of the corner of his mouth.

"Go ahead and say it, I know you want to." I told him.

"Say what?" he asked.

"Like you…" I said.

"Naw, it's too cheesy for me to say." He said.

"Oh, sorry." I said, ashamed of my own assumption.

"Not that it isn't true, but there are better ways of letting you know you are beautiful." He soothed.

"Like what," I say coyly.

"Like this." He said lifting my chin with his finger and kissing me deeply. In that moment I relaxed, wrapping my arms around his neck and his hands falling to my waist.

We walked to the picnic and sprawled out looking at the stars and holding each other. I could hear his heartbeat, a wet thumping that echoed in his chest. We eventually sat up and ate the sandwiches he prepared himself. By the time we were done eating the candles had burnt out. We walked down to the enormous Hollywood sign, hand in hand.

I thought about that very gesture, about how innocent it was. We live in a world that would destroy something as innocent as this. Then I think about how there are places, like this one, where we are free to be who we are, all of who we are.

I perched myself in the crest of the O, while he leaned against the L next to the O, facing me. I gaze over the city, and the glow astounds me once again as my breath was taken away by the sheer beauty of it all. Taking off my cap to let the breeze ruffle through my hair, I breathed it all in.

"I would love to stay here forever." I said off hand.

"It is lovely up here, isn't it." He said, his gaze faltering a bit towards me.

I take a deep breath. "Yeah."

"So why did you choose to be a nurse at an institute?" he asked.

"I honestly choose to work there because I feel safe there. It is a bit ironic, I know, but truly do. Not only that but I also feel sorry for them, over half of our patients don't belong there, and all our patients go through brutal treatment, I immediately felt responsible to protect them when I started working. I couldn't vocally protest these practices, because I would most definitely lose my job, so I did behind the scenes work with some of my other co-workers that I trust." I said.

"That's a really brave thing to do." He said.

"The irony strikes again, a coward doing a brave act." I said.

"I don't think you're a coward." He said. I paused to comprehend what he had just said.

"Yeah right." I said skeptically.

"I think you perceive yourself as a coward because you like to feel safe, but in all reality you do things most people don't have the courage to do, ever." He said. I had never thought of this before. To me I was a coward, unable to save the things that matter most to me. I have tried, and I still try to, but I just can't seem to do anything right, and those that matter most I lose.

He walked over to me and took me by the hand. I hopped down and let him escort me back to his automobile.

"So what about you, what made you decide to be a blacksmith?" I asked as we took off down the road.

"Well it was a family business, but I also love to do it as well. It wasn't like it was forced upon me, I wanted to take over. I love creating perfect entities. I love the scorch of the furnace, and I love my side projects I do. Blade work is my favorite thing to do. But I also make chandeliers, candlesticks, frames, etc." He said.

"That's the bee's knees." I said enthused.

"I was hoping you would say that because during those seventeen hours, I blew the time away in the shop and I made you something." He said.

"You shouldn't have it's only the second date." I said.

"Maybe so, but I feel as though I've know you for quite a while. Either way I still made it for you." He said.

"Oh all right, but just this once." I say.

He reaches over the back of the seat while driving, and feels around in the back, blindly searching for my gift. When he found it, he pulled it over to the seat and gently placed it in my lap. It was gorgeous craftsmanship, and a beautiful gesture on his part. The initial metalwork was silver colored metal that of a heart. Around the heart silver tendrils swirls with silver leaves blooming from the work. At the tips of the tendrils were ornamentally created roses.

My jaw dropped. "Oh…my."

"When I thought of you, this is what comes to mind." He said.

I threw my arms around his neck and gave him a full on the lips kiss. I melted away, and snuggled up against him underneath arm that was so gently wrapped around me. We stayed like that all the way home.

~xXx~

Opening my apartment door I led him to my bedroom, artfully taking off the layers of my clothes and his clothes. I flopped onto my bed, in only my underwear, pulling him with me, again only is his underwear. I ferociously kissed him, and he kissed back with equal passion. He moved to my neck, kissing it, biting it with such skill I curled my toes. He slid his tongue further down and around my chest, then to the ridges of my abdomen, and then even further. He pulled my undergarments down with his teeth. Then he sank down.

He didn't stop until he got me off. By this time I was already in ecstasy, I knew because my back was arched, and my toes clenched, and my involuntary moans. He wiped his mouth on the sheets, and I reached for a condom in my bedside and offered it to him. He ripped it open with his mouth and put it on, then rolled me onto my belly. I braced myself with the sheets, gripping them tight when he slowly inserted. We submerged underneath the blankets and didn't resurface.

I woke up the next morning feeling pretty good. Hell, I felt amazing. The sunshine was peeking through the curtain; there was a familiar cinnamon smell in the air that was tinged by the scent of sweet sweat. I was comfortably warm swathed in my duvet and next to Gloss.

I turned around and found myself face to face with Cato.

* * *

**Confused? I would be if I wasn't the mastermind behind it all. Stay tuned for further chapters! Please R&R for me and let me know what you think!**

**XOxXx,**

**Crystal Heartlace**


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